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It's kinda sad that while the US seems to be more and more open to the idea of legalised marihuana, here in the Netherlands we are slowly moving in the opposite
by wsc981 13y ago
It's kinda sad that while the US seems to be more and more open to the idea of legalised marihuana, here in the Netherlands we are slowly moving in the opposite direction. This might also have something to do with the EU: for example Franch citizens sometimes travel to the Netherlands to buy hash or weed. France doesn't like this, so recently our so-called coffee-shops[0] have been required to ask for identification and it's not allowed to sell hash & weed to foreigners. So what happens now is the weed is being sold on the streets buy Dutch citizens to foreigners - the new laws actually caused an increase in criminal activity.
Actually our laws are rather weird: a coffee-shop may sell hash or weed, but may not buy it - we still allow them to buy it, but I guess it has to be from some illegal sources since in the Netherlands we are allowed to grow a few plants for private consumption only.
Also, several years ago a French girl committed suicide in Amsterdam while under the influence of magic mushrooms[1]. Because of these kinds of incidents with foreigners magic mushrooms became illegal. There is still a legal alternative of course, "magic truffles", but it's saddening to see these kinds of changes in my country.
[0]: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannabis_coffee_shop http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannabis_coffee_shop
[1]: http://www.simplyamsterdam.nl/news/French_tourist_in_Amsterdam_commits_suicide_after_using_magic_mushrooms.htm http://www.simplyamsterdam.nl/news/French_tourist_in_Amsterd...
- jjsz 13y agoOn the positive side, if your country is rejecting money from tourism: they should allow a huge beerfest to regain their losses. If enough foreigners come you would have enough to repair streets or whatever. If they don't do this: they want less tourism, they don't like intoxicated people (then they don't like extra revenue for the police), they can't use money efficiently, or they're striving to be a sober country. I believe their whole point was to increase criminality because they're not receiving XX,XXX/ year for each person they inprison. Alternatively, they may actually want to speed the process of Bitcoin adoptation.
- danmaz74 13y agoFrom Italy, I always looked at the Netherland's position on drugs as the way forward. Really hope the change opinion that is happening in the US will also happen all over Europe soon (as it did in Portugal, and with great results, IIRC)
- davidw 13y agoI always looked at the .nl laws as sort of Italian in that it's illegal, but an eye is closed:-) I think it's best to have things legal and out in the open, and regulated.
- danmaz74 13y agoIt looks like it is actually legal for coffee shops to sell, but not to buy and produce... But I agree, much better to make a clear choice. At least if possible.